Raj Babbar offers to quit as state Congress chief post poll debacle

Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Raj Babbar on Wednesday offered to resign, taking moral responsibility for the poll debacle+ in the state

His offer of resignation comes amid demands for structural changes and fixing responsibility+ in the party for the defeat in the Assembly elections.

Babbar also echoed Rahul Gandhi on the need for making structural changes to strengthen the party but defended the Congress vice-president, saying leadership is not changed “for losses in one or two elections”.

“I take moral responsibility for the party’s defeat in Uttar Pradesh. I was given the responsibility but I could not fulfill it. I could not live up to the expectations. I will do what is required,” he told reporters on Parliament premises.

To a question why Gandhi or senior party leaders like Ghulam Nabi Azad were not taking responsibility for the defeat, the Rajya Sabha member said such issues are to be discussed “internally at party level.”

“Our national leaders worked hard in the five states which went to polls including UP. We failed to win Uttar Pradesh,” Babbar said.

“You don’t change party leadership for losses in one or two elections. The leadership is ideology. They make teams. Our team failed there (in UP),” he said.